Nirvana
by DarkerEvolutions
Summary: In a world of kingdoms and the fight between good and evil the wolfpeople struggle to remain neutral between the two. Will Kai be able to lead them through this with the arrival of another wolfbeing?
1. Chapter 1

He was running, large paws pounding against the muddy ground below as his breathing came in raspy gasps and formed misty clouds in the air. The sound on his own heartbeat thudded in his ears, but the thundering of horse hooves was clearly heard as the large animals closed in on him with hunters riding upon their backs. Even with his large , sleek strides and long legs the wolf was still being diligently chased with the gap between himself and the men closing.

It was just the beginning of dawn, streaks of purples, reds, rich blues, oranges, and yellows coloring the horizon like an oil based painting. It was a chilly autumn morning, a light fog covering the rolling hills in which a group of seven horse with men on their backs chased a single wolf across the muddy grounds. The night before it had rained, soaking the already moist earth with its wetness and causing many puddles to form.

The hills went on for miles, stretching from a small village at the east to a vast forest at the west. The forest was well known for its legend of wolves that walked as men, yet no one ever believed the brash story that men came babbling about in a fit of insanity. The men were hunting the single wolf on belief of this rumor, believing that he had also hunted their precious sheep while they were sleeping.

The wolf was as tired as the horses were becoming, his long strides faltering as his paws slid through the slick mud. He was oddly colored for a wolf, a mask of red fur covering his face and rimming his ears while his thick fur was scattered with reds, blacks, and browns. Mud plastered the fur to his body, showing how skinny and lacking of meat he was. It seemed as if he had been starving himself for days, possibly weeks.

Slate gray clawed paws left bloody prints in the mud, the pads cut and worn from hours of running. Various cuts were scattered across his body, his constant movement only making the blood flow more freely. As he reached an icy cold river rushing with rain water the panting wolf was forced to stop running, pacing quickly in several inches of water. Even if he was in fit shape it would be dangerous for him to attempt to swim across the wide and deep river, it would be suicide to do so now. Whimpering he knew he was cornered, garnet eyes watching as the seven horses with armed men perched upon their backs came closer and closer to him.

One of the leading men rose their crossbow, his arm steady despite his mounts slipping footfalls. Pulling the trigger the bolt went flying towards the pacing wolf, just barely missing its figure as it jumped deeper into the river's pulling waters and to the left. With a feral growl the man loaded another bolt effortlessly, aiming quickly and pulling the trigger. This time the bolt grazed its target, deeply nipping the right shoulder of the wolf.

"You've wounded the monster, Steven. Kill him now before he starts running again, our horses can't take much more of this." A man larger than the others pulled the reins of his large bay mare, effectively pulling the hooved animal to a skidding stop in the mud. He had bright green eyes and messy blond hair, his name Spencer.

"I'll kill him and anymore like his kind, the beast. He will be the example to the rest of his monstrous kind, filthy wolf." Aiming a new bolt Steven pulled the trigger, his dark eyes locking with the garnet eyes of the wolf he was intent on killing, yet as soon as his finger touched the trigger he knew something was off. He saw the shift in the wolf's eyes, and it was too late to react as strong jaws of a pure white wolf locked around his wrist, throwing his aim off.

Yelping as the arrow lodged itself into the meat of his thigh the wolf pacing the river's water jumped back from the intensity of the hit, and though it missed anything vital he was thrown into the rushing waters of the river and pulled under its cold surface. Despite his struggles he could barely keep his head above the water, his weakened state not proving to be much help. His world was soon fading to black.

The white wolf, larger than the one the seven men had been hunting, was now taunting the horses, nipping at their hocks with his sharp teeth and dangerously strong jaws. Icy blue eyes were furious, and the artic wolf didn't come alone it seemed. Rushing to join him were six more wolves, each varying in size and color.

Breaking away from the pack of the wolves, allowing them to chase off the now overly frightened horses, a sleek black wolf raced down the river's bank, trying his best to catch up to the now unconscious wolf that was being carried by the cold waters. He was the fastest of their pack next to their only female, his legs long and body sleekly muscled. As soon as he saw his chance he was leaping into the frigid river water, jaws closing on the scruff of the other wolf's neck. With his laws paws digging into the soft bottom of the river the black wolf hauled both himself and the other out of the water, dropping the limp form onto the muddy bank to shake the wetness out of his thick winter pelt.

"Rei!" The voice came from Kai, the largest of the wolves when he was in wolf form and the leader of them all, as he raced in his human form with the others right behind him towards where the black wolf was standing next to the unconscious unidentified wolf. The others were just behind them, clothed in something simple in which they had grabbed form the bushes when they had shifted back to their human forms. Among them was Tala, Kenny, Lee, Mariah, and Brian. The seven were a pack, a clan that relied on each other since they were mere children.

Coming to a slow stop Kai draped an extra cloak over the black wolf's shoulders just as the form shifted into a human being. Amber eyes danced with worry as they looked down at the other wolf, raven colored bangs plastered to Rei's forehead from having jumped into the river to pulled out the other.

"He's certainly one of us, Kai." Frowning as Tala kneeled down next to him next to the red toned fur masked wolf Rei withdrew his hand from resting upon the soaked fur of the wolf's neck. "He'll survive this attack physically, but there is not telling what kind of mental state he'll be in. Look how thin he is…"

"I doubt he's had anything to eat for several days, weeks maybe. Those men must've been after him for another one of their sheep being killed, but he shows no signs of even consuming a meal; his stomach is completely empty still, minus the good amount of water he probably swallowed on his trip down the river." Rolling the wolf onto his less wounded side Tala yanked out the arrow protruding from the wolf's thigh, immediately placing a hand over the wound to keep it from bleeding too badly. It took but a moment for the body to shift into human form, healing most of the wounds a good deal as the wolf part of the male withdrew into the far reaches of his mind.

"Why, he's no older than we are." The comment was from Kenny as he stooped to get a better look at the male laying unconsciously on the soft mud of the bank. The teen was pale skinned, his slate gray hair shining with its wetness. The natural coloring of his fingernails was a natural darker gray, something as unique as his markings as a wolf were. His ribs were clearly seen, countable at that and the dark circles under his eyes showed he hadn't been sleeping well.

"Who do you think he is? I've never seen him around here before, not even in the village." Peeking cautiously over Kai's shoulder Mariah tried to get herself a better look at the young male on the ground, her rich amber eyes blinking slowly. Stepping up and around the others came Brian, her curiosity peeking as she watched the lavender haired teen kneel down and pick up the limp form from the cold ground.

"We need to get him back to the den before the hunters come back with more people and weapons." Brian wasn't known for speaking very often, though he had a habit of pointing out things that needed to done when times were uneasy and tense. He was a gray and white colored wolf, looking much like Kai except he had hints of brown mixed in with his coat while he was also taller at the shoulders than his leader.

Kai nodded in agreement, taking a moment to think things through before raising his voice so the others could hear it. "I want everyone to meet at the den in an hour. Lee and Mariah, I want you two to carefully move along the forest line and cross at the creek that runs through the hills to make sure those men went all the way back home. Be careful to not get caught, they're bound to send more hunters out before nightfall. Tala, Kenny, and Rei.. I want you to search the forest, make sure that we haven't left anything behind that will lead the hunters to us. Catch something to eat if you can, we'll need to extra meat for when our brother wakes. Brian and I will walk on foot back to the den with the newcomer. Is everyone clear on what's needed to be done?" There was a nod from everyone before they broke apart to go their own ways. Those who shifted back into their wolf forms left clothes for the others to gather and rehide around the same area just incase they were needed again.

Back at the village, a near half an hour later, then group of seven men had returned. In total one of their good horses had died due to the hard ride and the stress from being taunted by wolves. Its throat had been cut, to relieve the animal from the pain it was suffering through. A crossbow had been shattered both from the bone crushing force of the white wolf's jaws when he had leapt at the man again as well as the fall to the ground. The man Steven suffered from a punctured wrist while another would have a permanent limp from having one of the wolves tear at his calf, sharp teeth having dug to scrape against bone. When the wolves hadn't perused them Steven wanted to turn back, but the horses were having none of it.

Stable boys were now caring for the winded, stressed, and frightened horses, brushing their coats down to rid of the sweat that had covered them and giving them cool water to drink after they had calmed down enough. Fresh hay was provided, allowing the animals to lay and rest their weary legs. The village had so few horses, and six out of the nine in total weren't able to be ridden until they were no longer tipsy upon their four long legs.

Tending to the wounded men were healers. They properly washed the wounds, cleaning them before placing a ground mush of herbs over them to keep infection from starting. Fresh white cloth was then wrapped around the wounds, to keep the herbal mush there while also keeping them from bleeding too significantly. The healers chided the men, warning them to just leave the wolves in peace before they irritated the animals enough to bring them to terrorize the city.

As the healers left a younger woman came in, blonde hair and blue eyes giving her a kindly motherly look yet a sternness that kept most men from trying to flirt with her. The man wounded in the leg was in a tonic induced slumber, leaving the woman Judy and the hunter Steven to be inside the wooden healer's shack alone. Wounded or not she was going to make the man listen to her, and hopefully see the logic that she did in his errors.

"You know that the wolf you were chasing didn't kill that sheep, Steven." She was trying to coo him with a gentle tone in her voice, seeing if the man would even listen to her without protesting. However it would seem the Gods were against her today because he opened his mouth to speak, and in response she slapped her hand down upon the tabletop hard, blue eyes growing fierce.

"Don't even give me the line 'What are you talking about woman' because I very well do know what I'm talking about. I may not be an elder in this village, but even they have seeked my counsel because of how knowing I am of the things of the world today. Did you even go to look at the area of land where the sheep was killed?" Leaning her weight upon her hand resting on the table Judy glowered down at the seated Steven.

"I don't need to see the land, you fool. The animal was running away from the sheep's dead body, and that's proof enough for me that he killed it." He was angry now, olive green eyes dark and bitter as they stared up at Judy through messy brown bangs. She held several years over him, but he was a man and saw himself better than women.

"You lazy cow! That ground there was dry as could be, and the whole area is scattered with spots where something has burned holes into the grass and dirt. It even ate through rocks! Are you trying to tell me that some skinny wolf that had no meat upon his bones did that? That the wolf who had been looming about the sheep's pen for days and not touched a hair on any of the animal's heads was the one that shattered the fencing and left massive paw prints in the ground? Steve you've gone mad if you don't see things clearly here, the wolf is innocent." Judy was well beyond angry herself now, very well knowing that her son Max and his friend Emily had even gotten the wolf to come to them, causing the no harm and keeping them from wandering away from the village.

Going red in the face Steven stood up from his chair, near growling at the shorter woman in front of him. "Lazy cow! Who are you to call me lazy? You do not hunt for food, you to not protect this village, and you do not keep this place from being nothing but a dirty place where people steal from one another and commit unsayable crimes to others. You need to know when to hold your tongue, woman!" Drawing his hand back, readying to strike Judy as she stepped back, he found his injured wrist being grasped and held from moving forward by a decently large hand of a man.

"You, Sir, should hold your own tongue and learn that hitting a woman is a crime in my eyes. Touch her and you will be punished under my laws, do you understand..?" The man spoke calmly and clearly, a soft latin accent lining each word that slipped from his lips. It was hard to tell when in the argument he had entered the healer's shack, because despite his stocky and tall frame he hadn't made a sound.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can not do in my own village? I am ruler here, not some new comer to these lands." Steven hissed these words through his teeth, pulling his injured wrist back to him as the man released it from his strong grip that had looked very well effortless.

"On the contrary Sir, this is not your own village. The elders have agrees to let me rule over them and provide whatever aid they might need, so now this is my village meaning I have every say so to do as I please as long as it be by the laws put forth by my kingdom. I do suggest you leave.. To rest yourself." The man stated this all evenly, not sounded prided or greedy about the addition to his growing kingdom.

Steven merely gave both of the two a deep withering glare before tromping out of the healer's shack and slamming the door shut behind him. His muttering could be heard as he walked behind the shack and to his own small home down the dirt pathway a good distance. He was swearing something, cursing rather vibrantly before his voice faded off from the ears of those in the shack.

""Well, that was certainly an argument that I only caught the tail end of. What were you two going on about anyways?" Turning his blue eyes to Judy the stranger smiled, pulling out a seat at the table for her before actually taking a seat himself in a chair across from hers. His dark brown hair was shorter than Steven's was, and though he was thick framed with lean muscle he still carried himself lightly, explaining why Judy hadn't heard him come in in the first place.

Judy gave a chuckle, smoothing her white linen shift and dress out before settling down to tell the whole story. She had never seen the royal man that the elders had spoke to her about, but they seemed to have lacked to tell her that he was coming to visit that and he was still quite young. "You see," she started slowly. "Our sheep are very important here, and when one is killed the men usually hunt down the animal who has killed it. Lately there has been a wolf hanging about here, oddly very friendly yet still rather skittish. My son Max and his friend Emily even got the animal let them touch it, and he had never once bit or growled at them. This morning a sheep was killed, and Steven automatically thought that the wolf killed it."

"But you think differently, and frankly so do I. Wolves do not just go around killing men's sheep unless they are mad in the head or their supply of food has been cut off. There is plenty of game around here, so there is no real reason for the wolf to kill one of your flock. The elders even took me down to the sight, actually." Pausing to scratch thoughtfully at his chin the man gave a light hum before shaking his head slowly. "No.. The wolf didn't kill the sheep, it's impossible that it did really. A wolf doesn't leave near nothing behind unless the animal is dragged off, and in this case it wasn't. The paw prints in the area are also too large to be a wolf's, not even a large dog. There is also those singed areas in the ground, like something has burned away holes into the earth. I'd have to check with the people I have working for me back at my castle, but I think we have a magical creature on our hands.. But only one sheep.. That's so unusual, as usually the magical creatures who kill like that devastate entire villages."

"What about the legends that go about this area? The ones where the wolves walk as men and can shift at will? Do they really exist, or is it just rumor that's been floating about to scare people?" Curious now Judy yearned for information, just as she had done as a child. Anything she didn't know about she wanted to learn, which made her something of a scholar among the people of the village she lived in.

"I really couldn't answer that, but it's possibly. It's said that they prefer to live with their own kind in a pack where no one will find them, yet close enough to society that they can get news of things that are happening about their lands. For them it is not uncommon for their mates to be male, and in fact there is supposed to be some ritual that they go through to be connected to their mate for life. If one dies the other dies of grief and loneliness not too long later." With a friendly smile the man lapsed into what he knew about the wolf-people, very well wishing to satisfy the hunger for knowledge that the woman in front of him had.

"The legends tell them to be very loyal beings, but they can be very fierce when needed. They are very good fighters, it's said, and will often die to save another being, whether it be their own kind or not, if they were partial to them. It's said they are supposed to be gentle lovers of nature, family, and to their mate." With a sudden idea the man gave a toothy smile, flashing his white teeth as his blue eyes danced. "When I return my castle I will have my scholars dig up information for you, and I'll have someone bring it to you so you can read up on the legends yourself."

Judy's blue eyes widened at the offer, more stunned than anything. "You would do this for me?" she questioned, as if trying to make sure she wasn't hearing things. "You'd have someone bring me information? Such a wonderful man you are! Yet where are my manners.. My name is Judy Tate, but please just call me Judy. Miss or Lady Tate makes me feel so ..old."

A hearty chuckle was drawn out from the man's lips, blue eyes dancing in amusement at the words spoken. "Such a rare type of woman you are, so outspoken yet still so kind and thriving for knowledge. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Judy. You may call me Mathias, but most know me as King Mathias Cernai II. I shall indeed be sending you information, as one day you'll be a wonderful woman of knowledge and the perfect confidant."

"You flattering man!" cried Judy before she fell into a gentle and friendly laugh to show she really did not mind the comments or compliments. "I do believe you will make a wonderful king; walking among your own people! Never before has one did this, as they thought themselves too high and mighty to walk among their own people. I shall wish you the best, and I thank you very kindly Mathias. I, however, need to go find my son Max before he goes and gets into trouble with Emily. Good day." With that Judy rose from her chair, smiling towards Mathias before stepping outside and calling for her son.

"You would make a wonderful queen, but with a child already I can only assume that you are already mated with another man. I now can only wish you well and aid you and your people as I can, dear Judy." These words were spoken after the woman left, and after a moments time the king followed behind to gather up his horse and things before heading out for the long ride back to his castle; a glorious stone structure that was still being worked upon.

"When do you think he'll wake up Kenny?" questioned Mariah softly as she stuck her head into the pitched up tent just near the pack's camp area. She'd taken the liberty of returning to camp early to get a fire going and some food cooking, though she had also pitched the tent and lined the bottom of it with warm furs from animals the pack had killed and ate. Nothing was ever wasted.

"It's hard telling, but maybe not for days. Yet then again he might wake up in a few hours at the least. It all really depends on him rather than us. I'm sure his body understands that he isn't in any danger," explained Kenny as he gestured to the sleeping male in the bundle of furs on the floor of the tent. "But.. His mind not understand that he isn't, meaning he isn't getting a very restful sleep either way. I think it's critical that we just let him wake when he wakes, and when her does so not bother him with so many questions."

"Kai will keep the others away, we both know this already. Poor Rei, though. I can't believe he went into that river after this boy! He could've gotten himself killed, or have been swept away from everyone so many miles down the riverbank where it would take forever to get back to where he started." The concerned look on Mariah's face made Kenny smile, and though she was complaining it was for the right reasons.

"But that didn't happen. Rei knew what he was doing, he always does. Unlike some of us he doesn't jump in head first into things without knowing the consequences. Come now," requested Kenny as he rose to his feet and pushed back the flap of the tent, gesturing with his hand towards the others that surrounded the campfire. "We should let him rest without us hovering over him. Besides, Kai needs my report on how band the damage really is."

Brushing herself off as she followed Kenny out of the tent Mariah found her way over to Lee, settling herself in his arms as her amber eyes watched Kenny and Kai over the flames of the fire. "Do you think the kid is as bad as it looks, Lee? Those hunters.. It's hard to tell how long they had been chasing him, but the poor man was so frantic.."

"Don't worry about it, Mariah. Kenny can help, whatever the wounds may be. There is no doubt the kid is one of us, but we don't know his temperament. If he's gone mad then we're going to have to kill him, for our safety and others. We could always use another pack member, though," hummed Lee as he wrapped his arms more tightly around Mariah to ward off the cold of the night.

Though the night was cool there weren't any clouds in the sky, leaning the waning moon and the glimmering starts to be clearly visible in the darkened sky. Tracks had been covered and clothes rehide in the brush so that the pack may use them another time. The hinter's path had been followed back to the village, and after hours of waiting to make sure that they weren't going to go back out on the hunt the wolves had returned back to their home deep in the woods.

They were all grateful when they had found their campsite clean and tidy with the pent pitched and the fire already burning brightly. Mariah had been well rewarded for this act; a bigger portion of the meat that was in the stew prepared for the meal that night. Not far from the campsite was a large cave, and despite the fact it was colder out the pack had decided with the night being clear they would sleep under the stars comfortably instead of in the stuffy cave that they had made their home so long ago.

The others watched on as Kenny spoke with Kai and Rei, taking in the expressions made and the gestures given with the hands and body. They were all curious, but they also all knew the routine very well despite the fact very few people happened upon them and their home. It was the way things had to be, the way Kai set them, and the clear understanding that Kai was indeed the alpha over them all.

"What do you think , Kenny? There is no doubt he's one of our kind, but there is certainly something off about him…especially about his scent. The way he smelled.. I can't really explain it, but it was the strangest thing I've encountered before. Even though his fear was so strong the scent that followed him was still unusually stronger. Can you explain this?" Leaning forward with his elbows on his knee and his chin held up upon his entwined hands Kai looked indeed thoughtful and perturbed. He wasn't sure what to make of this new arrival.

"I wish I could explain it Kai, but I'm afraid I can't. In fact after having washed him down with warmer water to keep him from getting sick the scent was gone, completely. It was almost as if something was tainting his scent, or at least soaked into his flesh." Sitting back slightly Kenny took a moment to take in both Kai and Rei, both who were paying close attention to what he had just said. On a lighter note he continued to answer the first question he had been asked. "He's not as badly off as we thought he was, but he does need to be carefully watched so that he gets the food he needs and meat back upon his frame. Most things have been healed wound-wise, but where he was hit with the crossbow bolt there is still an open wound there, though much smaller."

Nodding Kai closed his crimson eyes to think to himself in silence, taking comfort in the presence of Rei resting against his side, chin now resting upon his shoulder. "Make sure he gets what care he needs," responded Kai finally. "He's one of us, and if he so wishes he can stay with us as a part of our family, but something tells me he knew we were there to begin with.. I want to know why he didn't come to us."

"Like Brian," said Rei softly, "he might be more of a loner and not want to join us.. Or he could be like Tala, distant but still wanting to join yet not really knowing how to approach it. Only time will tell, but we need to support whatever his decision is in the long run. If he believes we're going to go after him for the wrong choice he might make.. Then that could be our downfall in the long run."

"You're right, as you usually are Rei. I still would like to go to the village though and speak with that woman Judy there. She's always been welcoming when we show up at the village, and maybe now she might have some more insight on what actually happened or what's going on. We don't need hunters after us again," stated Kai darkly, very well remembering the last time hunters were after his family.

We'll go to Judy then, but not now. Things need to settle, and we need to help our brother along his road of healing. If he does choose to not join us then we must at least make him stay until he's healthy and able to live on his own," comment Kenny as he rose from his spot, brushing himself off before turning away from the two to make his way over to Tala without so much as another word or waiting for a response.

"Kenny is right, you know. We should take care of our newly found brother before making any drastic decision or act. Leaving him in charge of things concerning the health of the other is probably the best thing to do right now; he's always been able to nurse everyone back into perfect health. And," yawned Rei as he gave a mighty stretch before sprawling his form out on a bed of grass and leaves, "we need to go hunting tomorrow morning, just before the dew disappears."

"Again..? But we've just gone hunting a few days ago and brought down a few hares and a good sized buck, not to mention I told the others to try to catch something," questioned Kai as he rose from his seat and settled himself beside Rei, smiling as the his mate curled up against his body almost what seemed automatically. What he would've done without the tell male was beyond him, but he knew he'd never let go, couldn't let go for fear of insanity and madness.

"We have another mouth to feed, and the rest of our supplies are starting to dwindle away. In a few weeks we should restock, maybe then we go to see Judy. She always gets us good deals, doesn't even ask questions." Rei suddenly grew serious though, brow furrowing lightly. "That hunter is going to be a pain, though… He didn't like us there last time nor the time before that. It's a wonder he hasn't done anything to harm us yet, the brute."

"Don't worry about him; he's no worry to us anymore. We protect each other; the pack. Even just one of us could take him down if we so wished to." Wrapping and arm around Rei the leader of the pack proceeded to give a low, calming rumble at the back of his throat. "Just sleep…We'll hunt before sunrise."


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: In a world of kingdoms and the fight between good and evil the wolf-people struggle to remain neutral between the two. Will Kai be able to lead them through this with the arrival of another wolf-being? Or will this new arrival end up dragging them back into real society and into their struggles?

Rating: M

Warnings: Quite a bit of violence, male/male relationships, probably some not so nice language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. I do, however, own my main OC.

A.N.: I forgot to add all this on my first chapter.. just kind of got away from me. Please, please review. I love having them reviews, yes I do.

Nirvana

Chapter II

The beast growled in annoyment, its primalistic yellow eyes glimmering with anger as it stalked forward across a well built dark wooden bridge with a slight limp. It had stopped bleeding long ago, leaving acidic burns in the ground from its blood that was richly black. It was bitter, this animal, snarling as it moved forward past frightened soldiers with its massive form and thinking over its failure in its mission. It was supposed to bring back the wolf he was attacked by, not come back empty handed due to complications. There was no doubt the hellhound was going to be reprimanded and punished for coming back with nothing.

Turning down a large hallway the scaled animal, pitch black in color with sharp taloned claws that clicked against stone with each step, made his way down the lead way to the throne room where his master was located. The creature was one of many that its master owned, a collector of sorts that wanting everything and anything all to himself. A greedy man that had power to back it up, a strange power that made most men flinch away in horror. Being able with magic was considered the most ultimate sin when the magic was dark, when the arts were corrupted and dangerous. However the man had grown all-powerful, his kingdom growing and becoming a danger to all those living, though the dead as well felt his powerful touch.

The castle itself was built out of rough yet sturdy stone that had been dug up from the foots of volcanoes and the depths of the dark lands, their deep onyx color a foreboding of what was to come. There were walls beyond walls, chambers within chambers, the towers built strong and formidable. Thin arrow slips lined the walls, and the bridge that crossed an alligator infested swamp was formed to turn into a protective wall against the main gates when it was withdrawn. Never before had the castle been invaded, nor had any succeeded in coming so close to the walls. It was impenetrable, as far as the master saw it.

Sitting upon the throne, a wonderfully dark piece of wood carved to look like skeletal creatures of hell climbing out of the abyss, was the man the hellhound knew as master; the man than many were forced to consider as King, Voltaire. He was a broad man with gray hair, beady dark eyes peering out with an undeniable wickedness to them that made many men quiver in fear. His posture and stature was perfect, yet he spoke with a bitter vileness that sent creatures scattering with tails between their legs.

"You're back," rumbled the unhappy voice of Voltaire as he sat forward and fixed his wrath-filled eyes upon the hellhound before him. The creature, despite being big enough to take the large man down, still showed a very clear submissive behavior, wishing to be forgiven or at least another chance to correct its clear failure. "You were supposed to come back with that wolf-being; I want him, he is and will forever be mine. You will not fail me again.."

Leaning back against the padded throne chair the dark King was overcome by a thoughtful expression, thick stubby fingers drumming against the wooden arms that ended in a snarling head of a hellcat. A wicked smile soon played upon his features, as if another plan had come to mind, a better one. "There are others like him in that forest near the small village.. I know there is; I feel their presence in the back of my mind whenever they shift forms. They all will be mine as well, but we must flush them out of their home to get them to come to me--they will be my pack of wolf-beings.."

The hellhound gave a snarl in reply, one that held a clear note of respect yet agreement as well towards its master. If he was going to get another chance to successfully carry out an order than he would gladly take it and never return until it was completed. Whenever a slave, or as the king put it 'a part of the family', was successful they were dually rewarded with a full stomach and a warm bed to sleep in. This was the best reward of all, as their current accommodations were cages and foul meat and leftovers.

"You, my son, my creature, my pet… You will go back to the village and kill every living being there--everyone. These people are providing the wolf-beings with things to live off of. Clothes, food, tools, things of the such.. You will kill all the sheep as well, eat them if you so choose to. I want to cut off any supplies that they are getting, force them to move. That is where I will catch them, all of them. They Will. Be. Mine." There was a pause before Voltaire glowered darkly at the hellhound before him, slamming his fist down upon the arm of his chair. "What are you waiting for? Leave already!"

Spaded tail tucking between its hind legs the creature gave a growl, quickly turning tail and loping out of the throne room. Its claws could he heard clicking against the stone floor as it ran down the hallway, down a flight of stairs, and out the gate to cross over the wooden bridge that covered swampy mass of land that encircled the castle. From there it would run and keep on running until it reached the village to carry out its job; total elimination.

Watching the hound leave from a window was Boris, a man who followed Voltaire with little question and was very well indeed his right hand man in everything. He was a lanky man with a head of purple hair and a pair of frigid red eyes that were just as intimidating as Voltaire's by all standards. He wasn't human, though instead he was more of a strange spirit creature, bound to one form when they were caught and imprisoned until their master died--at times they too died with their master if they were so attached to them.

"What is it about those…wolves that so enthralls you, my lord? They're nothing but filthy animals, and we really have no idea if they are tame or not, nor if they will be as easy as the others to get under your rule. Don't get me wrong, you are a strong and capable master.. But the wolf-people are known to be very strong willed," commented the purple haired Boris as he turned away from the window and walked over to stand next to his king.

"These creatures are a lot more intelligent than you're giving them credit for. They have the wittiness and instincts of a wolf, but they are also human as well. The mix is a deadly one, and the extent of our knowledge on them is short and limited. It's known that they have one form of wolf, and one form of human…but is there more that we don't see, or possibly that they don't know of? It's hard to say until we actually have a specimen to study." Voltaire leaned back and tapped his fingers together slowly, brow knitting together with his train of thought.

"They're immortal," he continued cautiously. "But not in the sense that they can never die. They can be wounded and killed like any other being, but their wolf side tends to…how should I put it…heal them and take their pain away? From what I saw through my mirror.. The wolf-being that the young hellhound was supposed to bring to be was shot by a crossbow bolt, yet he still lives. Those hunters in the village could've killed my pet.." With a glare Voltaire rested his elbow upon the arms of his throne, leaning his chin down upon his grasped hands. "Now they shall pay.."

----

Tightening the saddle belt of a docile bay mare Kai glanced back at his family; his pack, before pulling himself up into the saddle and grabbing the reins. He was dressed in decent clothing, not too rich yet not peasants clothing either as he didn't want to make the villagers too curious about him. Judy Tate was a good woman though, and he trusted her to trade fairly with him. Packed neatly in a saddle pack were furs of animals that they had hunted; a bear fur, two deer pelts, and several smaller animal furs. He would use them to trade for other supplies that he and his pack needed.

"We'll be back by sundown. I want this camp clean when I get back, and if our brother wakes then make sure to give him a warm meal. Don't badger hi with questions, just make him feel welcome until I get back. If he is in a fragile state of mind.. Then he could be very well dangerous to us." Turning his crimson eyes to the side Kai watched as Brian pulled himself up into the saddle of another horse they kept within their strange camp-like home. It was a mellow coal colored stallion, a beautiful creature just like the bay mare yet just as docile and calm around the wolf-people--they knew they weren't going to be harmed.

"Should I put the horses back in the stable inside the cave, Kai? It smells like it's going to rain again, and the sky looks dark and angry meaning it will rain rather badly when it does. I know they need to be brushed, fed, feet taken care up, equipment cleaned.. But they might enjoy the rain." Kenny was the one to speak, already feeding the horses some fresh hay and oats yet first making sure they weren't too dusty so the animals wouldn't get colic.

"It'd be best to just put them in out of the rain. We should move the camp back into the den as well. The weather is too wet for us to be out in where everything will become soaked and useless. I believe the wet season has come early this year, so we need to be on watch. Just do what you believe needs to be done. Someone should go fishing today, though I'd prefer if Mariah and Lee stay here at camp with our sleeping brother. I'll see you all when I return from the village," finished Kai before her guided his mount to turn and move through the forest. Brian was soon to follow him, quietly following his leader at the easy set pace.

They all were used to Kai leaving for supplies, and no longer did they stare after him wondering of he'd ever return to them; he always did. Their home was indeed a strange one, though it was comfortable to their lifestyle. There was a large oak tree that made the entrance of their home, as its massive roots were coiled around large rocks that were scattered through the forest. The trunk was supported by one of the larger rocks, as under it left a opening that lead into what they called the den. Their home was partially underground, fallen tree trunks chopped down to be smooth poles of wood to form walls and a sturdy ceiling. Most of the cooking was done in a 'room' that had an opening in the top for the smoke to get out, and the more comfortable living quarter was filled with pillows, blankets, pelts of animals, and other comfortable amenities that made their living more at ease; they could always live off the land as wolves, but they all lived their human forms. The stables were the horses was down a side path inside the den, one that was fenced off so the animals wouldn't wander off, and each horse had its own stall. There was a larger area where they would let the hoofed animals have their free space, and there was even a whole in the ceiling there to catch fresh rain water in a trough and where sunlight would come through. It was a home within the ground, yet it was always clean and cool in the summer, warm in the winter.

Kenny was already moving to brush down the eating horses--six of them remained; two more mares, three more stallions, and a young filly that had been born a few months ago. He might be one of the smallest of all of the wolf-beings, but he managed very well and pulled his own weight, that and the horses rather took a liking to his kind and shy nature. As the animals ate he'd check their hooves, cleaning them out and at times giving them a slight file or clip to even them out. The horses were bred to be used to wet climates, so their hooves were sturdy and didn't need to be shoed.

It was automatic for the pack members to go about doing as they were supposed to; it was a routine they loved and respected, and even Kai did his own fair share of work when he was at the camp. The leader was the better cook of them all, even though Mariah rivaled him very well in that aspect. However the arrival of the new wolf-being set their routine off a bit, yet they were adapting well. Where Mariah sat in the tent with their brother the others took up her job around the camp to keep things from falling behind. It was a silent agreement among them, that they'd help each other out no matter what, that they'd be there to pick up the slack when another wasn't able to.

Lee helped Rei start moving their supplies and equipment back inside the den, putting everything in their respective orderly spot before going back for something else. Everything was cleaned before it was put away--blankets and clothes hung out near the fire to dry before the rain came. It was still rather cold out and with rain coming it was useless to try to air dry anything without the help of a warm fire.

Setting an axe aside, putting it inside the den so it wouldn't rust yet would still be in easy reach, Tala picked up the wood he had just chopped, putting it in the pile with the rest of the dry fire wood before brushing his hands off upon his pants. He swung but Kenny on his way around the camp, helping him move to horses inside before departing his brown-haired lover with a fleeting kiss upon the cheek and grabbing a wooden water tight bucket on his way towards the edge of camp. "Going to go catch some fish, be back when the bucket is full," called out the young male before disappearing into the surrounding forest. He'd walk to the river as man, but he'd catch fish as a wolf seeing as it was much easier that way.

Within the tent burned several small candles up on a little stool so that light flooded through the small area. Mariah sat back on a simple cushion with a sewn together small book of parchment covered in a thin elk hide to water proof it, a small piece of charcoal in her fingers as she jotted down this and that's into the small booklet. It was more of a tablets of what herbs and roots did what and a small diary of things she cared to keep note of during her long lived life. She was proud to be a successful healer, to know how to cure near any ailment that came upon her pack.

"How's he doing, Mariah?" Came Lee's deep voice as he pushed back the flap of the tent and slipped inside to keep the cold air out. He settled himself down next to his pink haired mate, smiling when she settled herself within his lap and leaned against his chest. He quite adored this young woman, someone he'd been mated to for so many years of his life, and he didn't care to trade his feelings for her to another being ever.

The woman smiled, giving her head a curious tilt as her amber eyes gazed upon the sleeping male before her. They were all unique, the wolf-people, in some way shape or form, but Mariah had yet to see something quite like this before. Leaning forward she took up the sleeping male's hand, holding it so that Lee could see the gray colored nails that he had. "I've really never seen anything like this.. He's doing well, though I wish he'd wake up so he could eat.. But still, even his markings as a wolf are unique. He may be one of us, but he could very well be a different breed all together."

"You worry yourself too much, Princess. He's just as much what we are as we are what he is. We're all unique in some way, you know this as much as I. Also we haven't seen any others of our kind in a good long while. We all were beginning to believe we were the last ones left." Lee leaned forward, placing a kiss upon the back of Mariah's neck before pulling her back to sit against him again so she would let so of the other male's hand. "Let him get his rest, he very well deserves it."

"I suppose you're right, but still… That smell he had on him before falling into the river. I wasn't all that close to him as the rest of you were, but God… What the hell was it? It didn't smell like any dead animal I've ever gotten scent of. It actually burned my nose to smell it, but I still don't understand what. Somehow it was.. Wrong, like it shouldn't have been here." With a sigh Mariah turned, hugging Lee as he merely shrugged and told her to let it go until they had time to ask him about it.

----

"Kai, Brian! How good to see the both of you again," greeted Judy as she took the reins of both men's horses and tied them up on a post so both could go on without having to worry about their horses possibly shifting on them as they got off, though the animals were good natured to begin with and didn't often shift without reason to do so. "I figured you both would be here some time this week, so I took the liberty of getting your supplies ready before hand."

"That is much appreciated, Lady Tate. Storms are rolling in and we need to get out of here before they come and ruin out supplies with their downpour. I suggest you get your own horses in as well as your children before the storm hits," comment Kai as he patted his mare on the neck affectionately before untying the saddle bag full of pelts and furs and following Judy into the supply hut. Brian was on his heels, carrying another pack of pelts.

"You think so? I was hoping the clouds would just pass us by.. Oh well, we can't get everything we want. I'm sure you've brought plenty of furs for us, you always do. I'm afraid we didn't have very much grain this time for you, but I've put in more fresh sheep's cheese and milk in exchange of that in hopes it would be alright," smiled Judy as she took the pack from Kai and put it on the table, doing the same with Brian's before gesturing for them to have a seat. "Let me get you a warm drink of mead to warm you up before you go on your way."

"The exchange is quite alright; we still have a small portion of grains left to make up for it anyways. And thank you, we'd both very much appreciate having a drink before we start packing, Lady Tate." Pulling out a chair before himself Kai took the time to sit down and start unpacking the pelts for the woman, showing her what they had so she knew what she'd take from the whole collection. He wanted the trade to be fair, as always.

Moving to the fire burning in a makeshift stone fireplace Judy filled up two mugs from the warm container of mead handing over the flickering flames and heat. The mead was sweet, even for the time of year it was, and its smell drifted through the air a she put the mugs down in front of both Kai and Brian, who himself finally took a seat. From there she went on inspecting the furs as the men drank, smiling appreciatively at how clean and wonderfully prepared and thick they were. Pausing she soon picked up the bear pelt, frowning softly.

"This bear pelt and the deer pelts would be payment enough for everything my village is giving you--there are too many pelts here for a fair trade. I don't want to take things from you that the village hasn't earned, it would be wrong. You take back the bear pelt, the rest of what you brought will be payment enough for what we're giving you. Here.." Folding the brown pelt of the bear up carefully Judy moved to put it back into the pack before she was stopped by Kai's hand taking the packs from her.

"That one if for you and your son; you've helped us enough to very well deserve that, and more. I don't believe your people respect you enough for what you do, woman or not, but in my family's eyes you deserve this and more--however the more will have to wait until another date." Rising from his chair, mead finished, Kai moved over to start shifting through the supplies that he was to take with him, putting this and that into the saddle bags before handing them off to Brian so he could put them back onto the horses.

"You're very honorable Kai, but I couldn't accept this.. The men here, they would think--" Judy was cut off by the stern look that Kai gave her, and after a moment she smiled thankfully and hugged the folded pelt to her chest. "Thank you very much, Sir. This will do well for my son with as cold as it has been lately. I hope your trip back goes well--here, let me help you pack some of this." Tucking the pelt safely into the pocket of her worn apron, the large fur weighting it down quite a bit, she started to help organize the supplies and bring them out to help Kai and Brian pack their horses carefully so the animals weren't strained.

----

"How long until you think it's going to rain, Rei?" questioned Kenny as he put out the fire outside the den with a bucket of rainwater from the days before. There was hiss as the fire went out, the red embers going dark and cold as smoke rose from their smoldering forms. A few hours had passed, the camp site was clean, and he was looking forward to his brother waking, as he had heard a bit of commotion in the tent just minutes before.

"It probably won't start until night has already settled in, so it's hard to tell. I'm hoping just after Kai and Brian get back so we can get everything inside before it all gets wet and possibly ruined. But the weather is hard to predict, so be ready for anything." Shrugging lightly Rei picked up the pot with the remaining stew in it, carrying it over into the den so that it wouldn't be bothered by any other animals until they came back inside to look after it, or until it was finished.

Just moments later Tala was walking back into the camp, arms weighted down by a heavy bucket full of water and still living fish. They always kept the fish alive until they ate them, therefore they were fresher longer and they didn't start to stink up their campsite with a fishy smell. Rei was moving to take the bucket from him when a scream startled all three of the young men, eyes darting towards the tent where it had come from.

In seconds Mariah was stumbling in a rush to get out of the tent, amber eyes wide as she hand her right hand clamped over her left forearm. If anything she looked more appalled than angry, pink hair mussed from her effort to get so quickly out of the tent. "He bit me!" she cried out indignantly, her hand rubbing at the cleat teeth marks in her arm. "That ungrateful mutt bit me when he got his senses about him! He's mad, I tell you, absolutely crazy!"

"Stop your yelling Mariah, we're right here, we can hear you just fine. Now would you care to explain what's got you all work--" Tala stopped in mid-sentence as motion started up within the tent, and by the looks one could almost assume rough housing was going on, that is until Lee started yelling something about needing to calm down before someone gets hurt. Cautiously they all approached the still moving tent, only to see it fall in upon itself before the strangely colored wolf shot out from the fallen tent and into the forest, almost as if something was chasing him away.

"Grab the horses!" yelled Lee as he found his way out of the fallen tent, his dark eyes looking both surprised and frustrated at the same time. However he was greeted by several confused faces as he looked at the others. "He's going back to the village--said something about a hound or another. Don't just stare, we can't go there as wolves with those hunters there; they'd kill us," growled Lee impatiently.

"Already ahead of you," called Kenny along with the thudding of many horse hooves. He was already mounted bareback onto his long legged yet small chestnut colored mare, the other others prancing out from behind to their respective rider. "Now lets go before Kai has to deal with our brother showing up at the village out of no where." He watched as the others mounted their horses, already urging his forward with a gentle kick to its sides. It wasn't long before he was pushing his horse into an all out gallop, the other horses already running off a few feet ahead of him.

"He's skin and bones," called Lee over the rush of wind. "Yet he is still up on his feet and running faster than even our horses can. Hell, I doubt Mariah could even keep up with him in her wolf form--he's just too damn fast. But how, why? He was sane enough when he first woke up, just cautiously looking at Mariah and I…ad then bam, he put on his fur, bit her, and wrestled past me to get out of the tent."

"A liable reason, I'm sure.. Just smell the air, past the smell of rain and the scent of the forest. He knew what he was looking for, or in this case smelling for," put out Tala as he urged his mount forward more quickly. "We all smelled that horrid smell that followed him when he was running from those hunters, yet the question is still what--obviously he knows what it is, and if it's at the village.. I'm afraid we really don't know what the hell we're getting into following him back into the village. Kai will know what to do though, lets just hope whatever that scent is coming from doesn't get their first."

----

"Thank you again Judy for getting everything ready ahead of time and helping us pack, it has made this process so much easier. You very well deserve that bear pelt, and if anyone dare say something of it tell them to come to me on my next visit and I'll handle it--though I'm sure you're a very able woman. Might I be able to see your son before we take our leave?" questioned Kai as he turned his crimson eyes politely to Judy, watching as she smiled warmly and nodded in response.

"He'd be more that excited to see you and Brian again for sure. Come, I'll take you both down to the sheep's pen where he and Emily are playing near. They're always out with the animals… always getting into trouble it would seem, as well." Turning Judy led both men down the dirt path that ran down the middle of the village and right to the pen where she sheep were held. A few people paused to look at her and the visitors she led, though they said nothing and soon went about their way again as if nothing had happened.

As they approached the pen the narrowed her blue eyes at the disorder within it wooden fences. All the sheep were at the back of the pen, right in front of them and bleating like mad. They were making so much commotion she had to wince every now again at the irritable noise being made. The animals wouldn't stay still, moving constantly and trying to get out of the pen as they often jumped upon one another and kicked each other.

"Mommy!" The voice calling was young and frightened, Max's voice and it was soon followed by Emily's scream as the young girl clung to the boy fearfully. Judy's eyes became wide as saucers as she heard her boy call her and Emily scream. She was moving to run to them when Brian moved suddenly to grab her with both arms and hold her back with only as much force that was actually needed. She was going to ask why, but Kai spoke up first.

"Just look, Judy," demanded Kai, his voice firm despite the fact this was the first time he ever called the woman by her first name. "You can't go down there whether you wanted to or not without being torn about by that.. Thing. Where are your hunters when you need them?" With a growl, one that sounded much like a wolf's, the pack leader darted his crimson eyes around quickly, trying to see if there was indeed anything he could do.

Down at the end of the sheep's pen were the two children laying on the ground paralyzed in absolute fear of the creature that was hovering over them; the hellhound. It sharp, saliva drooling teeth were bared as a deep growl was issues from the creatures throat. It would have revenge from having failed in catching its last pray, that and it would not fail in its new mission of killing everyone and everything within the village. He wouldn't come back empty handed again.

Moving forward Kai jumped the wooden fence and into the pen, some of the sheep daring to bite at his legs as he invaded their precious space in their most fearful moments. He was pushing them aside, out of his way as he took slow steps forward, trying to make his way over to the children. However it would seem he wasn't the first to get there.. Nor was the hellhound the first to get to the children.

The strangely marked wolf, barely anything against the size and muscle of the hellhound that lunged at the children, was the first to get there, strong jaws closing upon the snout of the hellhound and tearing savagely so that acid black blood started to flow freely. As the creature yelped, pulled away, the wolf released his hold and nosed the children hard, trying to get them to move, to run away where they were in less danger for the moment. However they didn't seem to be getting the picture.

"That wolf!" cried out Judy as she wriggled free of Brian's grasp. "He's the one that has been protecting my children for the past month or two.. But he barely has any meat upon his form--he'll surely die! Max, Emily, get up! Run, come to me!" She was desperate, trying to snap the children out of their revere as Kai still pushed himself forward through the sheep. He wasn't getting there very fast, even with his aided strength and speed; the sheep were too frightened to do anything but act like a mad mob and near knock him over every step he took.

Recovering, though in pain and with a nose muzzle, the hellhound turned its attention to the wolf, lunging at it with a throaty growl only to be snarled at viciously in return as the smaller and more lithe animal ducked under the hound's body and ran right under him. The hound was rewarded with jaw closing upon its long tail just before the spaded tip, and upon whirling around to snap at the wolf the spade was torn off as the grip upon the tail refused to be released.

Finally getting through the sheep Kai ran forward, light and quick upon his feet, towards the children. His first aim was to get them out of harms way while still hoping his brother could take care of himself until then. He had to roll to the side as some acidic blood splattered where he had just been running, and upon rolling again he was kneeling near enough to the two kids to grab them both within his arms and turn back to run to Judy and Brian. He understood why Brian remained out of the fight--it was to keep everyone else back as people were starting to gather near them.

There was a shrill yelp and Kai turned momentarily to see what was going on; the hellhound had sunk its teeth into the wolf's shoulder, though he didn't look beaten yet despite the crushing force coming down upon his shoulder. Turning back forward Kai put all his effort into getting the children into safety, finally reaching the barrier of sheep once more. However Brian was coming forward to meet him at the fence to take both Max and Emily from him.

The was the hound had bitten the strangely colored wolf he had left his throat open, and next to that throat a very strong pair of jaws. It was too late before the hellhound realized this because even as he moved to let go to change his grip the sharp teeth were upon its open throat and tearing with a soulful rage that reached a strange color of mahogany eyes. Jumping away, tearing flesh and acidic blood with him, the wolf limped around the badly blooding and severely angered hellhound. It wasn't long before the wolf had to duck again as the larger creature pounced at his form, though this time he tore savagely at the weak underside of the hellhound.

The acidic blood was burning sizzling holes within the ground, and there it more thickly rested upon the wolf it caused a mild burn, but his other side kept on taking the wounds and pain upon itself to keep the lupus from being too badly injured, yet they both were loosing energy fast. However help was on the way, as thundering sounds of hooves tearing at the ground were now bearing heard as several horses with riding on their bare back came more clearly into view.

With the wolf under the hellhound now he was also in sorry shape seeing he was suddenly in very serious condition when he was knocked off his feet. A taloned paw was soon on his side, pressing down with all the weight it had in it front upon its lower half. The wolf growled, snapped, snarled, showed its teeth viciously, yet the hellhound kept on coming closer with its looming fangs… only to have the massive form of a black horse ram into its side and sent it sprawling.

It wasn't but a moment later that several crossbow bolts hit's the hellhound, two within its head, and the rest hitting other parts of its body. Kai and Brian both were pushing their way through the sheep, dropping the crossbows they had acquired from two of the hunters and running forth to meet their family and the still fallen wolf that didn't look as if it was getting up anytime soon; however the animal knew better than to change forms in front of all these people, despite the fact it would very well save his life at this point.

"What the hell is that thing?" Questioned Rei as he glanced at the fallen animal wearily only to look at the crowd of people and the hunters readying their crossbows again. "Never mind that, we need to get out of here--now. Those hunters are going to kill us if we don't." Lifting his fingers to his mouth Rei gave a sharp whistle only to be answered by two whinnies as before the two horses that were packed with all the supplies came cantering around the crowd and down the side of the fence towards their general area.

"I have a feeling our brother here knows, but now isn't the time. Rei is right, we need out of here before things become worse than they already are. Those hunters have no brains, they merely want to shoot us and Judy can't stop them right now. Brian, grab the wolf--Rei, switch him horses for now." Kai's orders were quickly followed as he jumped the fence to get to his own horse. Rei assisted Brian in getting the wolf up on the horse with him cradled against his body. Within a gathered ten minutes they were off, guiding their horses back towards the forest where their home was.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: In a world of kingdoms and the fight between good and evil the wolf-people struggle to remain neutral between the two. Will Kai be able to lead them through this with the arrival of another wolf-being? Or will this new arrival end up dragging them back into real society and into their struggles?

Rating: M

Warnings: Quite a bit of violence, male/male relationships, probably some not so nice language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. I do, however, own my main OC.

A.N.: I'm beginning to think people don't like this story. Should I stop writing it while I'm ahead? Also I don't think I'm going to post anymore on Asylum until I get more reviews. One review for three chapters! I think that's ridiculous.

Nirvana

Chapter III

Kai was quick to take charge after they all had arrived back at camp uneasy and nervous--they feared the hunters would come after them, forcing them to move and relocate their home. The others were ordered to tend to the worn horses, so they wouldn't fall ill and die, and to unpack all the supplies so the coming ruin wouldn't ruin them. Mariah, however, was requested immediately to come with him as he relieve Brian of the limp wolf in his arms. Heading towards the river Tala where Tala had caught the fish Kai wasted no time making his way to the chilly waters or waiting for Mariah to gather supplies in which she'd need for first-aid: blankets to ward away hypothermia, clean wraps and salve for wounds, and herbs to help sooth the pained discomfort from the acidic blood of the hellhound. Both knew there was a limit of damage that both forms could take until they remained upon the body and didn't heal themselves.

Only caring enough to kick his boots off at the river's bank the leader of the pack of wolf-beings waded waist deep into the cold yet calm waters of the section of the river that they fished within. The black acidic blood was already burning at his skin, so he was quick to lower himself and his wolf brother in the icy water to start cleaning the sticky blood off. He got so far as getting a small fraction of the blackness out before the frail wolf in his arms woke with a start and squirmed wildly. It was all Kai could do as he attempted to restrain the wriggling wolf in his arms and keep his balance on the slippery rocks beneath the surface of the calm waters, yet calm or not the current was still dangerously swift. It wasn't as if Kai was trying to drown his brother, but if he would've woken up being dipped into the very cold waters he had nearly drowned in it would've upset him as well--for all Kai knew the other wolf-being thought he was going to drown him to death. Kai even had to shift to hold the snapping jaws shut with a fierce grip to keep from being bitten.

"Calm, my brother," soothed Kai in a stern voice and he went through the troublesome process of washing the acidic blood out of the multi-colored pelt of the unnamed wolf. "I'm not going to do you harm, but I need to get this blood off before it does further damage to you. Still yourself." Turning his head at the sound of approaching footfalls Kai's crimson eyes found Mariah making her way towards him with all her needed supplies.

"He certainly doesn't act like he understand," stated Mariah as she set aside several warm blankets and sorted through her things to gather what herbs she would need to make a soothing paste to put into the wounds she knew were there. Picking out five different ingredients,--a few leaves roots and stems-- she set forth grinding them in a small medicinal pestle made out of smooth bedrock she hand shaped herself through many years.

"After almost being drowned in these very same waters," offered Kai as he put more force into restraining the still struggling wolf-being, "I wouldn't be too pleased to waking up being held in these waters." Growling impatiently he grabbed the scruff of the multi-colored wolf's coat and gave the resistant creature a solid shake to, in a sense, bully him to fall unmoving. He was cold himself, but he could feel the furred creature shivering almost violently in his grasp as the acidic blood was more thoroughly washed off. "Trust," soothed Kai in a low voice, and then again repeating himself, "Trust."

"That should be good enough Kai," spoke up Mariah as she set aside the pestle and the thick green paste within its bowl shape. "Bring him over here," she requested as her nimble fingers grasped the edge of one of the woolen blankets and quickly unfolded it as she stood up. This blanket she tossed over Kai's shoulders as he approached, earning a low grunt of thanks from her leader, and the second blanket was just as swiftly unfolded and wrapped around the shivering wolf. Immediately she began to rub the blanket, trying to get warmth to come to the creature's body so it wouldn't freeze to death.

"I didn't quite think he'd be this light and out of shape," noted Kai as he shifted the grip upon the wolf in his arms as so to give Mariah better access without having to put the creature upon the ground where he could possibly bolt once more. "True his build may be a lighter one, but he is still lacking a very good deal of weight, and yet he held off that…thing--" The pack leader was interrupted by the sudden shift in shape of the wolf into man, his faint frown deepening even more in displeasure and the lightness and ease to which he carried the human body.

"Hellhound," croaked the worn and tired voice, cracking almost as if it was hardly ever used; which meant, or so Kai assumed, that this wolf-being preferred his wolf shape over his man shape. Once getting a slightly puzzled look in return of his comment the unnamed male gave a distant sigh, as if he was already drifting off into a world of rest and blackness. "Hellhound," he said again, a little more airily than before, and then elaborating, "what that creature was.. A hellhound." It only took a few more blinking moments before garnet eyes slid shut and the body surrendered itself to unconsciousness.

There was a long pause as Mariah kept working, patting the male's body dry and carefully apply the thick green paste into the rather deep and extensive wounds. Softly she rose her voice, not wanting to startle her leader who was in clear deep thought. "We should have Kenny look at this," she suggested while gesturing to the wounds. "He'll be better able to treat and gather what real damage is here than I can; after all he is the better healer of the two of us," the pink-haired young woman admitted with a nod.

Breaking free from his thoughts Kai turned his crimson eyes to Mariah soon nodding in agreement as he resituated the unconscious male in his arms. A nod was made back towards the forest where their home was and Mariah understood without a question and quickly gathered her things. It was best not to linger too long away from camp and leave the others worrying themselves over nothing that couldn't be actually handled. However Kai's mind was drifting back to the name of the creature the other had said before allowing himself to sleep 'Hellhound.. I thought they were bound to Hell but The Lady..'

More slowly they mad their way back towards camp, no longer in any rush for the moment. The other was still living and well enough to be left sleeping undisturbed for the time being. True the wounds would need to be looked at, and Kai would need to find dry clothes for himself and his brother, but those things weren't drastically important. Mariah led the way, dark starting to fall and the clouds growing thicker and darker in their telling of the rain that was soon to come. Sure enough just as they reached the outer rim of the camp it began to drizzle, and soon it was pouring heavily.

Both were greeted by five curious faces as soon as they entered the safety of the den, five sets of eyes staring boldly at the unnamed being within the wet blanket. Kai's stern gaze soon persuaded them all to go back to whatever they were doing before the two had arrived. "Mariah, take Kenny with you and settle our brother down to bed so he can rest--also I want you to check him over and make sure the wounds aren't too serious, Kenny," requested Kai as he placed the shivering male into Mariah's arms after she had handed her things to Kenny.

"It shouldn't take too long, but whatever you're going to talk about make sure not to start until the both of us are back and here to listen to what you have to say," chided Kenny with a small easing look before following behind Mariah back further into the den. With the aided strength of their wolf-part he knew Mariah had not trouble carrying the unnamed male, but he still believed that even a mere younger teen could carry someone so light as he was.

Settling the male upon a soft pallet of straw that was covered over by a sheet and another softer blanket Mariah made sure the other was comfortable before pulling off the wet blanket. Nudity was nothing new to them, they were all comfortable with it. She didn't stare, didn't ogle the form bare before her, but instead went rummaging for dry clothes to put upon his form. A time later, with the approval of Kenny after he had checked the wounds, she had the form dressed and covered in dry blankets so he would become warm once more yet not uncomfortably so.

"You did very well with treating his wounds, Mariah," smiled Kenny as he complimented the woman. He was pleased to see her beam at his comment and he was soon continuing with what he saw, as so to point things out to Mariah and help her learn more about treating injured beings. "The salve you made was perfect for the type of wound made, though we should check later just to make sure the burns are starting to partially heal instead of remaining there. I don't believe anything was broken, but he'll be incredibly sore for some time with the beating both forms have taken and absorbed."

"To protect those kids like that, even though he wasn't in his best shape, was a brash thing to do.. But it was noble as well. I forgive him for biting me, how couldn't I? If we hadn't let him go I don't think the children had survived, even with Kai and Brian there." Brushing herself off Mariah started off back towards where the others were sitting around a fire and eating fresh roasted fish that was still bubbling over the fire. "I'd have to say he's something like Kai, seeing as he's known to do things of the such.. However it'll be hard to say what his personality really is until he calms more and opens up."

"It's to be expected," responded Kenny as they neared the others. As Tala looked up he smiled at him in greeting, warming greatly when his mate returned the small yet meaningful gesture. "We just need to give him time--he might not even want to stay with us seeing he's already showed a slight sign of aggression. Of course it could be possible he's more of a loner, but we can't assume anything yet until we actually get to know him as a person." Grabbing a wooden plate and a carved eating utensil he retrieved himself a portion of fish before settled next to Tala and watching Mariah do the same yet sit next to Less herself.

"We're settled now, food in out bellies and warmth against our skins, so lets talk," put forth Kai without any real delay. The others were anxious, he could smell it as well as see it. They've had gatherings like this before, sitting down as one big family to talk things over, usually when a decision had to be made did this occur. "Our brother, it would seem, knows what exactly that creature was..and now that he's said the name I'm aware that it is very well what he said it was. The question is how did it get here and why it's here in the first place," proclaimed Kai in an even tone.

"He called it a Hellhound, did he not? I've only heard that word only a few times before, but I didn't exactly know what it was until now," mentioned Mariah in a bit of a miffed tone. "Of course I'm just as curious as to how something got here--I thought The Lady kept all but a few of the magical creatures in other placed away from here, so the humans wouldn't see them and use them… or kill them. Do you think someone could've been sending the creature there for a purpose?" she inquired.

"The Hellhound originated by The Lady's hand, but they were damned to live out in Hell to guard the gates of the dead," put out Tala with a frown. "They can't get here into this place of living without The Lady's permission, which we all know within our beings isn't the case seeing we would feel it, or unless someone very skilled in the magical ways freed the beast. There are stories about them, myths that are scattered wide and not very informational, so little is known about them as a whole."

"Thank you, Tala, for informing us all of this. You're right to say that The Lady didn't give the creature permission, or else it wouldn't have been attacking and it wouldn't have attempted to harm another one of The Lady's creations. We're going to have to be open to the idea that someone indeed send the Hellhound here, but we still need to be careful in our own wake. The humans are too curious for their own good, and after today they could come looking for us--or even worse try to kill us," put out Kai, making sure everyone in his pack understand that they must be open and aware of everything that could and might happen.

"And we must also realize that our Brother might know more than he is willing to tell us," sighed Rei, as if he didn't wish to think of it that way. "If he knew of the creature, what is to say he doesn't know more? And then again he merely could've been in the wrong place at the wrong time. What we need to do is think upon a course of action, to protect ourselves, to heal our brother, and to possibly plan for a move if things get too busy around here. We need not be involved in this."

"Someone will need to scout out the village tomorrow to see what is going on, yet be careful not to be seen. Mariah I would like you to do this, seeing you are the swiftest and could get away if need be." At this Mariah nodded and Kai continued on with his decision of what was going to happen as things progressed. "We will allow our brother to stay with us, and if he wishes to go after healing then we will not make him stay, yet if he wishes to come and go as he pleases this will be fine as well; a breath of fresh air. I want you to check up on him every now and then, Brian. Make sure he's fed, his wounds heal sufficiently, and so on and so forth. Kenny and Tala I want you to make absolute sure that the horses aren't going to get colicky and that they be in riding condition at any moment. Lee I would like you to help plan how to pack things and help scout out a new area to live with me--Rei will be doing the scouting."

"We need to be ready for anything more than ever," spoke up Lee lightly as he gathered together the empty plates from his family. "Human affairs isn't something we need to get involved in unless we are dragged into it by force," he stated darkly before moving over to wash the silverware and the plates. All nodded in grim agreement before falling into companionable silence with one another.

"There was a wolf fighting that thing--"

"Did you see the burns in the ground that the thing's blood made?"

"Sticky and black, all over that wolf's pelt--"

"It's a miracle the poor children are still alive--"

"Who was that group of people?"

"I heard they live out in the forest somewhere--"

"Just like animals, they are--"

"Do you think another one of those things will come?"

"That wolf.. What do you think became of it?"

It was all Judy could do to keep her mouth shut from commenting on the whispering villagers. Could they not just be glad that no one was hurt and that their flock was unharmed? Bristling angrily she made her way towards the elder's hut where she had been called to just moments before the pouring rain had started. Max and Emily were still very frightened, and it took a lot to just peel them off her skirt, but she managed to get them to stay with one of the hunters while she was away.

Even with it raining the people were skill out gossiping, though considering the strange events Judy could somehow see where they were coming from--however it didn't make it right. The wolf, she knew now, was indeed one of the wolf-beings.. No normal wolf was that intelligent, though they were very smart as it was, and no normal wolf could inflict such hideous damage upon someone with one single snap of the jaws. It was too.. Out of place.

Now the creature itself now laying dead in the middle of the sheep's pen was indeed something utterly new to the woman's eyes, and it was very much not from this world, or at least from her moral view. The acidic blood was unheard of, and the sheer size of the animal, if that is what one would call it, was too large to be any kind of strange mutation. Hopefully the elders would have information on this, of course they could just be meeting with her just to do so--it was hard to tell with them.

Shrugging her soaked cloak upon her shoulders Judy pushed back the flap that led into the elder's hut, breathing in the warmth of the fire that they had burning within the decent sized home and living quarters. Pulling back the hood she allowed her blonde hair to fall against her shoulders and the warmth to kiss her cold and wet flesh. The elders knew she was coming, they had summoned her after all, so it was to no surprise that the three older beings sitting around the fire didn't look up at her arrivals. Courteously she took off her wet boots and slid off her cloak, placing it near her as she sat within the circle around the fire so both she and it would dry.

"This event," croaked the oldest of them all as he threw some saw dust into the fire with his crooked and bent fingers. "Has put a bad name upon our village, which is a bad omen for us all. The years ahead of us are going to be dark a troublesome, but you have done well, Lady Tate. You kept the people calm, and you also protected our protector from our people. That wolf--he has been here off and on around this village since I was but a mere baby, and he has come to protect our village. You honor him, and in return he honors you."

"He's been around here before?" questioned Judy in a soft tone, her calm yet curious eyes gazing from being to being around the fire before taking an offered cup of warm sweetened mead to help put off the chill in her bones. All three of the elders nodded in response to her question, the younger of the three smiling in what could be taken as fondness, as if they had an encounter with the wolf before in their own long lives.

Letting out smoke from his mouth, which he had drawn in from a long angled pipe carved of wood, the eldest turned his warm brown eyes to Judy. "Few have seen him, and those who have either end up dying or becoming something great--all three of us Elder's have seen him. However with this visit we understand that his behavior was off, not normal, out of his usual character.. And I must admit that his absence was a strangely long one."

"We sense that something is wrong and amiss," stated the only female of the group of elders, her faded green eyes looking straight into Judy's soul, so it would seem with such an intense stare she was giving the younger woman. "This absence of the wolf and his protection, his guidance told us this long before..yet we all missed it. Darkness is growing out of balance to the light--the spirits are restless. A long path of trouble will ensue, and only the creature of The Lady will tell who's side will win, and if balance in restored."

"I feel as if what you say is most definitely true, but does this mean you know of the creature out there dead in our sheep's pen?" quested the young woman, seeking answers from those in the village who knew most. The elder who had yet to speak turned o face her, blind eyes blinking in a dull slowness that sent shivers up her spine. This man was always like this, strange yet silent in his matters.

"We know much that consists with the older ways that we do not share, merely because we are laughed at by our own people for saying things about what is truly there and hat is not. These wolf-beings you seek information about--we know of them. The creature out there? We know of this as well. The Lady has created many things, most which do not even reside in this realm, but that creature out there doesn't belong here and The Lady doesn't allow creatures to cross worlds," explained the blind man as if he were speaking to a mere child. "The balance is being off set by the being who set free that creature upon us--that Hellhound."

"The Lady.. I didn't think anyone believed in her anymore--the mother of all animals. But now that she's mentioned and with what you say things are starting to fit together a bit more," elaborated Lady Tate before taking a sip of her warm mead and speaking again. "The Lady has created many creatures, some with no name to our tongue, and others with names. These mythical creatures that we here stories of as a child.. Those are hers, yes?" A nod was given by the eldest. "The wolf-beings are one of her creations that live on our world, and the Hellhound belongs in.. Well it would seem Hell is where they belong. The creature must've been brought here by someone with intentions to do harm.. To take over, possibly?"

"There are forces out there that few know of, that few could possibly comprehend without being driven mad," spoke up the older woman as she looked around the circle of the people she was a part of. "There are people who have powers that we can not grasp, and those who thrive to collect those unique. We as people fear what we do not understand and have no answers for, therefore why the hunters went after the wolf."

"We as elders," put out the blind man as he closed his blank eyes. "Say what people wish to hear. They don't want to hear that there are magical forces at work here, that there are creatures out there that could kill them with ease, that there are other worlds out there. The King who we have given permission to in order to take our village under his protection knows of all these things, understands them, is open to them. He is a good leader, though lets pray whomever or whatever has brought this Hellhound upon us does not gain the upper hand too soon."

Judy gave a nod of understanding as the man spoke, seeing everything that was said clearly and knowing each point brought out was true. "We have strayed so far from our roots, from who we once were. I am in hopes that this king of ours will bring back the old ways, to get people to believe in the myths that are indeed not myths but real. I believe the key to all this will be the wolf-beings.. Those that live in the forest, the very ones in which saved multi-colored wolf from utter death. It worries me that we have scared them away, or that they want nothing to do with out struggles for power and land. They are creatures of peace, of the old ways, of seclusion. I will put out my hope in them, though.. Maybe our wolf friend will come back, or convince them that things need to be intervened upon… If not we are alone on this."


End file.
